SpaceX Falcon 9 v1.1 - CASSIOPE - September, 2013 - GENERAL DISCUSSION THREAD

[mrmandias]

Is this new information? They show the CASSIOPE launch as being September 10th according to a NASA mission database. I must assume the MacGregor test is one of the future missions, perhaps Thaicom 6?

http://www.wacotrib.com/blogs/joe_science/spacex-to-conduct-test-as-early-as-wednesday/article_de4ea69c-14eb-11e3-a2af-001a4bcf887a.html

This is the wrong place to report McGregor news....see the McGregor thread. As reported there is a strong possibility of Sept. 14th launch with a hotfire this week. If it's on L2, I'd take it to the bank.

My speculation--and its speculation only--is that the scheduled hotfire is a second WDR with a hotfire only if the WDR goes acceptably.

[Robotbeat]

Is this new information? They show the CASSIOPE launch as being September 10th according to a NASA mission database. I must assume the MacGregor test is one of the future missions, perhaps Thaicom 6?

http://www.wacotrib.com/blogs/joe_science/spacex-to-conduct-test-as-early-as-wednesday/article_de4ea69c-14eb-11e3-a2af-001a4bcf887a.html

This is the wrong place to report McGregor news....see the McGregor thread. As reported there is a strong possibility of Sept. 14th launch with a hotfire this week. If it's on L2, I'd take it to the bank.

My speculation--and its speculation only--is that the scheduled hotfire is a second WDR with a hotfire only if the WDR goes acceptably.

Isn't that true for any hotfire?

[meekGee]

Elon's new tweet.

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/375156462542000128/photo/1

The first official picture of F9R on the transporter/erector(?).

What is the molded opening at the bottom of the top of the first stage. A cold gas thruster?

Another guess - something to do with landing support?
GH didn't have any sensors (cameras/laser/radar) sticking out though.

[sublimemarsupial]

Elon's new tweet.

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/375156462542000128/photo/1

The first official picture of F9R on the transporter/erector(?).

What is the molded opening at the bottom of the top of the first stage. A cold gas thruster?

Propulsive vents for use as ullage thrusters for boostback/velocity reduction burns?

[Lobo]

Elon's new tweet.

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/375156462542000128/photo/1

The first official picture of F9R on the transporter/erector(?).

I'm assuming there will be a different erector for FH?  I'm not seeing how an outboard core would fit on this, but maybe it's just a bad angle.
But I'm assuming there's no reason they can't have a couple of erectors on hand, depending on what LV is being processed for launch.

[Robotbeat]

Elon's new tweet.

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/375156462542000128/photo/1

The first official picture of F9R on the transporter/erector(?).

I'm assuming there will be a different erector for FH?  I'm not seeing how an outboard core would fit on this, but maybe it's just a bad angle.
But I'm assuming there's no reason they can't have a couple of erectors on hand, depending on what LV is being processed for launch.

You're looking at it from the wrong perspective. While I wouldn't put it past them to end up using a different erector for the Heavy, this does appear to be the same erector they have shown falcon heavy using in cgi.

[Lars_J]

This *is* the FH strongback/erector.

[Jim]

What is the molded opening at the bottom of the top of the first stage. A cold gas thruster?

A fairing for the stage sep pushoff rods.

[Lobo]

Elon's new tweet.

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/375156462542000128/photo/1

The first official picture of F9R on the transporter/erector(?).

I'm assuming there will be a different erector for FH?  I'm not seeing how an outboard core would fit on this, but maybe it's just a bad angle.
But I'm assuming there's no reason they can't have a couple of erectors on hand, depending on what LV is being processed for launch.

You're looking at it from the wrong perspective. While I wouldn't put it past them to end up using a different erector for the Heavy, this does appear to be the same erector they have shown falcon heavy using in cgi.

Ahhh..ok.  I couldn't tell that bend at the base is set off from the core that far.  It looks like it's right next to it at that picture without room for an outboard booster.  The other pics clarify that.  THanks.

[Jason1701]

What is the molded opening at the bottom of the top of the first stage. A cold gas thruster?

A fairing for the stage sep pushoff rods.

No, those are at the top of the interstage, not bottom.

There are some cold gas thruster fairings visible on the interstage, but I'm not sure if that's what you were looking at.

[cambrianera]

I think the detail is this one.

[corrodedNut]

Let's play fill-in-the-blank:

A- Upper stage "combo" umbilical
B- 1st stage/interstage umbilical
C- 1st stage GOX vent
D- 1st stage He vent
E- 2nd stage cold gas thrusters? Antennas?
F- 1st stage-2nd stage separation system fairings (3)
G- 1st stage cold gas thrusters?

Those are my guesses, feel free to make your own.

[Jim]

E- 2nd stage cold gas thrusters

They would be on the base of the stage, inside the interstage

[Jason1701]

E- 2nd stage cold gas thrusters

They would be on the base of the stage, inside the interstage

They are in fairings on the outer surface of the interstage.

[Norm38]

^^^ 

How can cold gas thrusters for the 2nd stage be on the outside of the interstage, which remains attached to the first stage?

Or did you mean the 1st stage cold gas thrusters?

[pippin]

That's the 1st stage ones, right?

[ugordan]

E- 2nd stage cold gas thrusters

They would be on the base of the stage, inside the interstage

They are in fairings on the outer surface of the interstage.

I don't think you're talking about the same thing, in this case stage.

[PattiM]

Is this new information? They show the CASSIOPE launch as being September 10th according to a NASA mission database. I must assume the MacGregor test is one of the future missions, perhaps Thaicom 6?

http://www.wacotrib.com/blogs/joe_science/spacex-to-conduct-test-as-early-as-wednesday/article_de4ea69c-14eb-11e3-a2af-001a4bcf887a.html

This is the wrong place to report McGregor news....see the McGregor thread. As reported there is a strong possibility of Sept. 14th launch with a hotfire this week. If it's on L2, I'd take it to the bank.

My speculation--and its speculation only--is that the scheduled hotfire is a second WDR with a hotfire only if the WDR goes acceptably.

Wednesdays seem to be the "gate days" for the WbW delay... any information on launch dates yet?

[AJW]

NASA has posted the new CASSIOPE launch date of the 14th

http://msdb.gsfc.nasa.gov/launches.php

[JBF]

NASA has posted the new CASSIOPE launch date of the 14th

http://msdb.gsfc.nasa.gov/launches.php

Interesting that they are listing it;  it is still dependent on how the hot fire test goes.